Staffing agency searches rise 22 per cent as hiring gets flexible

MUMBAI: India’s hiring market is loosening its tie. As businesses juggle changing skill needs, project-based work and tighter hiring timelines, staffing agencies and manpower consultancies are increasingly finding a place in the recruitment mix.

According to Justdial’s search insights, searches for staffing agencies in India rose 22 per cent between August 2025 and July 2026, compared with the corresponding period a year earlier. Among major cities, Bengaluru recorded the highest growth at 32 per cent, followed by Chennai at 23 per cent, while Mumbai and Delhi each registered 16 per cent growth.

The rise points to growing interest in recruitment models that allow companies to access talent for specific projects, temporary requirements and specialised roles without relying entirely on conventional permanent hiring.

Bengaluru emerged as the fastest-growing major market for staffing agency searches, with demand up 32 per cent during the period. The city’s technology-heavy economy and concentration of businesses requiring specialised talent could be contributing to the stronger interest in external recruitment services.

Chennai followed with 23 per cent growth, while Mumbai and Delhi each recorded 16 per cent.

The trend comes as employers navigate fluctuating project requirements, evolving skill demands and shorter hiring timelines, making flexible access to talent increasingly relevant to workforce planning.

Searches for manpower consultancies also moved up, increasing 10 per cent nationally between August 2025 and July 2026.

Chennai recorded the strongest growth among the cities tracked, with searches rising 15 per cent. Ahmedabad followed with an 8 per cent increase, while Delhi and Bengaluru each registered 7 per cent growth.

The parallel rise across both categories suggests recruitment intermediaries continue to play a role in connecting businesses with talent as workforce requirements become more varied.

The shift is also unfolding as companies grapple with new skill requirements linked to AI and other technologies. Businesses may need specialised expertise without necessarily building permanent teams for every requirement, creating room for staffing and recruitment partners.

For professionals, the growth of contract, temporary and project-based opportunities adds more routes into employment alongside conventional full-time roles.

The city-wise numbers show that the trend is playing out differently across India’s employment hubs. Bengaluru’s 32 per cent rise in staffing searches reflects its technology-oriented economy, while Chennai’s growth across both staffing agencies and manpower consultancies points to broader recruitment demand.

Mumbai and Delhi each recorded 16 per cent growth in staffing agency searches, while Ahmedabad saw manpower consultancy searches rise 8 per cent.

Justdial’s data tracks search behaviour rather than actual hiring volumes, but the movement suggests flexible recruitment is becoming a more visible part of India’s hiring ecosystem as companies seek agility and professionals explore a wider range of employment arrangements.